Aside from anabolic steroids, HGH use is now a major problem of most sports organizations. It’s good that the MLB started to implement HGH testing on its minor leaguers but many are still hoping that the coverage should be expanded. The NFL should also initiate a more comprehensive anti-doping program by including HGH testing. Although there were no concrete evidences that will prove the extent of HGH use in the sport, many allegations from within the organization especially from current players and retired players who believes that there is a high percentage of HGH use in football.

But why is it that most football players and other athletes as well are against HGH testing? Author of the book “Spiral of Denial: Muscle Doping in American Football” Matt Chaney shared his insights on this issue when interviewed by Soren Hansen Hygum of DraftdayDK. An obvious reason is that football players don’t want to be caught using this drug. Urine testing can only effectively detect anabolic steroids but not HGH. To test for HGH, NFL should include new methods of detecting this drug like the adoption of blood testing. However, Chaney believes that contemporary players are very wary of releasing health information they consider private, regarding drugs or otherwise. Players do not trust the management if they can implement it effectively. Reports shows that blood testing for HGH can still result in a false positive.

The reliability of HGH test is still the primary concern of most professional players. This is also the reason why the MLB players association is not giving in to the clamor of including blood testing in the collective bargaining. According to Chaney, the current WADA blood test for rhGH, designed to differentiate the dominant GH isoform from its bio-engineered clone, apparently is useless for battling abuse in any sport, much less the NFL. “No drug-savvy football player in America would be so stupid as to flunk this test, with its detection window of only hours,” he said.

Although he admitted that there is a new development in WADA’s HGH tests. GH-biomarker test is said to have a 14-day detection window which makes it a more reliable anti-doping test. But even if WADA was able to improve its methods in detecting cheaters, athletes are still way ahead in avoiding detection. Chaney said that a lot of players and coaches use low-doses of testosterone and hGH stack to make it more effective at both enhancing performance and evading detection.

HGH use is popular among athletes because it helps in rapid rejuvenation of depleted muscles. It will be difficult to prevent its use in professional sports because many athletes believe HGH helps restore joints from wear and tear or from an injury. “For size and power, athletes believe androgens, testosterone and/or anabolic steroids, are necessary in concert with “Growth” to achieve great gains,” said Chaney during the interview.

Chaney believes that HGH use in NFL is still rampant. He cited some of the allegations of NFL players that 30% to 50% of players are using human growth hormones. Tony Mandarich, a former Packers lineman, also said that a lot of doctors are prescribing HGH to several players. Mandarich also admitted that he used anabolic steroids and HGH while playing in the NFL. “Retired NFL players have told me a large majority of active players use rhGH, at all positions in any given year, and many retirees enjoy the drug’s reinvigorating effects long after they’ve left the game and anabolic steroids,” added Chaney.

Chaney was asked if it is still possible for the NFL to prevent HGH use in the sport. “I’ve virtually given up hope that any technology will ever prevent muscle doping in any sport, from steroids to hGH, and elimination is out of the question,” Chaney replied. The problem is on how to improve the current methods of anti-doping which will need a lot of funding. Chaney suggested that the NFL can place restrictions on player sizes to at least control the use of performance enhancing drugs.

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